Recipes
Cranberry Curry Lentil Soup
Serves 4-6
| Prep Time: 10 mins
| Cook Time: 40 mins
| Total Time: 55 mins
Discover The Recipe
After a few days of Thanksgiving leftovers, we start feeling like the pumpkin pie spice and savory stuffing flavor profiles have overstayed their welcome. To help prevent the “Thanksgiving leftover blues”, we’re scrambling a few classic items with a global spice blend to produce this Cranberry Curry Lentil soup that will help use up the leftovers while creating a totally new Thanksgiving standard for your menu.
The sweet tartness of cranberry sauce balances out the fresh blend of curry spices. We add a can of pumpkin puree (since there is bound to be an extra one lying around) which provides structure to the soup and a subtle pumpkin-y background. If you use vegetable broth, this dish is vegetarian and a very healthy counterweight to the holiday sweets. Blend it up for a smooth texture. Our Curry Spice blend has no heat in it like our other curry blends. So, if you like a little spicy heat, dice up a jalapeño or serrano pepper and toss it in the pot. However, our curry blend creates an authentic taste. Also use it on a stir fry, roasted veggies, or crockpot stews.
Ingredients
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 (14.5 oz) can of low-salt diced tomatoes
1/4 cup olive (or canola) oil
1 cup of brown or red lentils, rinsed
4 cups of low-salt chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups of water
1 (14.5 oz) can of cranberry sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can of pumpkin puree
1-2 tbsp lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
salt and pepper to taste (optional)
plain greek yogurt, spoonful in each bowl (optional)
cilantro, chopped as garnish (optional)
1.5 tbsp Piquant Post Curry Spice
Notes
This recipe is designed to help use up your leftovers from the fridge and pantry. If you only have half a can of cranberry sauce left, throw it in. Don’t have canned pumpkin but have canned corn? Throw it in.
Blending the soup will produce a smooth texture but it’s optional. If you do blend, work in batches to prevent spillage and for safety reasons.
This soup will have more structure (firmness) than other “brothy” soups. You can always add water to thin the texture to your liking.
We love the tanginess of plain greek yogurt to top this soup but sour cream works great, too.
Lastly, optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don’t sweat it if you don’t have them.
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven on Med-High heat. Once the oil is hot, add the carrot and onion and cook until they soften and onions turn golden (5-6 mins). Add the curry powder and garlic and stir the mixture to release their oils.
Add the tomatoes and stir for 1 minute. Add the lentils, broth, water and bring to a boil. While waiting, open the can of cranberry sauce onto a plate to slice into smaller chunks. Add cranberry sauce and pumpkin puree to pot. Season with salt and pepper and add the lemon juice.
Once the pot is boiling, reduce the heat to Med-Low and simmer (partially covered) for 25 mins. Stir occasionally. Remove pot from heat and let stand for 5 mins. If you want a smooth texture (like our picture), blend soup on low. Work in batches with the blender no more than half full. Be sure to use a towel to hold the lid on as steam creates a little pressure and can blow the lid off.
Garnish each bowl with a spoonful of greek yogurt and cilantro. Serve with hot crusty bread.
Alternatives & Substitutions
Hot French bread, Sourdough, or Dutch Crunch bread are lovely to dip in this soup.
Our Curry Spice is an all-purpose curry blend that you can use in any recipe calling for curry spices. Here’s 37 curry recipes to spur your imagination.
Try our curry powder on roasted cauliflower. Toss a head of chopped cauliflower florets in a little oil and 2 tbsp curry powder, then roast on a sheet pan in the over on 400 deg for 20-25 mins or until they soften and turn golden.
Post pictures of your masterpiece meal on social media and tag us. We repost!
Cranberry Curry Lentil Soup
Ingredients
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 (14.5 oz) can of low-salt diced tomatoes
1/4 cup olive (or canola) oil
1 cup of brown or red lentils, rinsed
4 cups of low-salt chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups of water
1 (14.5 oz) can of cranberry sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can of pumpkin puree
1-2 tbsp lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
salt and pepper to taste (optional)
plain greek yogurt, spoonful in each bowl (optional)
cilantro, chopped as garnish (optional)
1.5 tbsp Piquant Post Curry Spice
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven on Med-High heat. Once the oil is hot, add the carrot and onion and cook until they soften and onions turn golden (5-6 mins). Add the curry powder and garlic and stir the mixture to release their oils.
Add the tomatoes and stir for 1 minute. Add the lentils, broth, water and bring to a boil. While waiting, open the can of cranberry sauce onto a plate to slice into smaller chunks. Add cranberry sauce and pumpkin puree to pot. Season with salt and pepper and add the lemon juice.
Once the pot is boiling, reduce the heat to Med-Low and simmer (partially covered) for 25 mins. Stir occasionally. Remove pot from heat and let stand for 5 mins. If you want a smooth texture (like our picture), blend soup on low. Work in batches with the blender no more than half full. Be sure to use a towel to hold the lid on as steam creates a little pressure and can blow the lid off.
Garnish each bowl with a spoonful of greek yogurt and cilantro. Serve with hot crusty bread.
Notes
This recipe is designed to help use up your leftovers from the fridge and pantry. If you only have half a can of cranberry sauce left, throw it in. Don’t have canned pumpkin but have canned corn? Throw it in.
Blending the soup will produce a smooth texture but it’s optional. If you do blend, work in batches to prevent spillage and for safety reasons.
This soup will have more structure (firmness) than other “brothy” soups. You can always add water to thin the texture to your liking.
We love the tanginess of plain greek yogurt to top this soup but sour cream works great, too.
Lastly, optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don’t sweat it if you don’t have them.
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